Cody Webb: 2018 SuperEnduro Champion

FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Cody Webb has won the 2018 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. In an action-packed final round in Sweden, Webb’s fifth place overall result was enough to clinch his first ever world title. Jonny Walker finished as runner-up on the night with KTM’s Taddy Blazusiak taking third.

The four previous rounds of the 2018 SuperEnduro Championship have all delivered exciting, close racing and the final held at the Sparbanken Arena in Lidköping, Sweden was no different. Coming into the fifth and final round with a 17-point advantage over team-mate Blazusiak, Cody Webb had the championship in his sights.

Adding the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship to his 2017 AMA Endurocross title, Cody Webb is undisputedly the man to beat in indoor enduro. Despite a tough final round, the American was overjoyed with his first ever World title.
Cody Webb: “I am so happy, I can’t tell you what this means to me. Of course, I feel bad for Taddy, he was riding really well tonight. The championship has been great and for it to come down to the wire shows how high the quality really is – I have so much respect for every single rider in this series. I was riding really tight tonight – I think because of my nerves – and Taddy was pushing so hard. He had some bad luck tonight, but I’ve had a couple of bad rounds too. After having a year out of racing in Europe, to come back and be World Champion is amazing – this is definitely the most important title I have won so far. After my riding tonight, I know there are still some things I have to work on so I’ll go away now, regroup and prepare for the WESS this summer.”

To come back from such disappointment and challenge for the win in the final race shows the spirit of Taddy Blazusiak. Just months after announcing his return to competitive competition, Taddy was incredibly close to taking a seventh world title. The multiple world champion has vowed to come back and try again come 2019.
Taddy Blazusiak: “I am so disappointed. Words can’t describe how I feel right now. On the positive side, I know I was fast tonight, I was riding really well. I was feeling good on the bike, practice and SuperPole went well and then in the first race, I was able to set a good, fast pace at the front. Going into the second race, I was only eight points down on Cody in the championship and I knew he had made a couple of mistakes in the first race. To be forced to retire like that is bad at any time, but to lose the championship like that is heart-breaking. I got back for the third race, but my heart wasn’t quite in it. To come back to racing and be so close to taking another world title is definitely encouraging though. I think my pace towards the end of the season was the best. I might have missed out this time, but I’ll be back next year to take my seventh championship.”

Round 5 & Championship Results

Prestige Class
1. Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 57 points
2. Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 41 pts
3. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 40 pts
4. Manuel Lettenbichler (DEU), KTM, 39 pts
5. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 38 pts

2018 Championship Standings
1. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 240 points
2. Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 226 pts
3. Taddy Blazusiak (USA), KTM, 225 pts
4. Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 194 pts
5. Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 180 pts
6. Manuel Lettenbichler (DEU), KTM, 171 pts